Pages

December 10, 2016

Saving Christmas

ENGIt's only two weeks until Christmas, and I decided to give myself an early gift and start blogging again... How do you save money during the holidays? These here are the Real Simple readers' answers to the question of the month in November 2006, an issue that I happened to come across at a local flea market. – I especially liked the following:

Throughout the year, I shop at thrift stores and yard sales for inexpensive (and often one-of-a-kind) vintage pots and vases. As the holidays near, I purchase bulbs and potting soil, fill all the pots, place them on a windowsill, water them and wait. When I need a gift, I simply select the pot closest to blooming or already in bloom and wrap some cellophane around it with a ribbon, and off I go with a welcome and unexpected gift. – Donna, California

I've always found that homemade gifts are more fun to give and receive. In the past years, I made large batches of fudge, organic salsa, pesto from homegrown basil (see here for the recipes of Fairtrade Mango Salsa and Lemon and Cashew Pesto), and summer preserves from berries grown in our yard. I made fun labels for the jars and found cute holiday boxes on sale for the fudge. They were gifts everyone enjoyed, not only because they were tasty but also because they came from the heart (of my kitchen). – Julia, Colorado

After canning season, I shop for mason jars on sale to fill with white or brown sugar, which I spice up with orange zest, cinnamon, or lavender. These make for thrifty gifts when an unexpected guest stops by. – John, Illinois

I travel frequently throughout the year for my job and pick up free maps at visitor areas in each airport or hotel. I've found that maps are the perfect size for wrapping a variety of gifts. This cuts down on the extra cost of buying fancy paper and bows. The maps are colorful and interesting, and they store flat – no more unmanageable rolls of wrapping paper. – Jane, New York

My favorite present during the holidays costs only a few cents but requires uninterrupted effort. I send individual notes to the people who have touched my life, thanking them for their kindness, patience, support, and laughter. Writing the letter is a gift for me and for them – a reminder that the holidays were intended for blessings, not Christmas sales. – Maggie, Massachusetts

A dearest thank you, my readers! PS A self-made gift could also be a beautifully packaged Blueberry spice, the recipe for which I found in swedish Yogamat, a book on delicacies for yoga practitioners:

1 dl blueberry powder

2 dl grated coconut

1 tbsp ground cardamom

1 tsp vanilla powder or seeds of 1 vanilla pod

Put all ingredients into a blender and grind finely. Store in a covered jar and use to spice your porridge or yogurt.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Recyclie, that's me, a foodie gone (re)cycling: This blog's all about bicycle riding, living and cooking on a shoestring, and, naturally, recycling, or "repairing, repainting, reinterpreting, reviving, redeploying or simply relishing" – to quote one of my favorite interior designers and authors, Ilse Crawford–, feminine and Finnish style, with an Italian twist. In real life, I'm a Helsinki-based interpreter and translator, as well as the author of "Reilun kaupan ruokaa ja elämää" (Perhemediat, 2009), that is, the first Finnish Fairtrade cookbook.